Electric-switch mechanism.



D D. GORDON.

ELECTRIC SWITCH MECHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 8.191s.

Patented; Mar. 20, 1917.

DAVID D. GORDON, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO THE YOST ELECTRIC MANU- FACTURING COMPANY, OF TOLEDO, OHIO, A CORPORATION OF OHIO.

ELECTRIC-SWITCH MECHANISM. I

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 20, 1917.

Application filed J'une 8, 1916. Serial No. 102,559,

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, DAVID D. GORDON, a

The parts3 and-.4 of the shell are separably secured together inany suitable or convencitizen of the United States, and a resident. ient manner, as is well understood in the art.

of Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented a certain new and useful Electric-Switch Mechanism; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention,

such as will enable Others skilled in-the art to which it appertains to make and use the a same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the characters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification. 1

This invention relates to electric switching devices of the quick make and break type, and particularly to switches of this character intended for use in electrlc lamp sockets or the like.

The object of my invention is the provision of an improved electric switch mechanism of the character described, which is efficient in its operation and simple, compact and inexpensive in its construction.

The invention is fully described in the following specification, and while, in its broader aspect, it is capable of embodiment in numerous forms, a preferred embodiment thereof is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which, I

Figure 1 is a central longitudinal sectlon of a socket embodying the invention with the switch mechanism in full. Fig. 2 is an inner end view of the socket with the cap members of the shell and interior insulating body removed. Fig. 3 is a section on the line 33 in Fig. 2. Fig. 4. is a view of the outer or lamp attaching end of the socket. Figs. 5 and 6 are sectional views of the switch mechanism separated from the socket with the key at different points in a turning move ment thereof. Fig. 7 is a perspective view of the bridging memberof the switch, and Fig. 8 is a perspective view of the control sleeve for the bridging member.

Referring to the drawings, 1 and 2 designate the base and cap portions, respectively, of the interior insulating body of the socket herein shown, and 3 and 4 designate the body and cap portions, respectively, of an inclosing shell for the insulating parts of the socket, as is customarily employed in certain types of sockets of the character described.

The parts 1 and 2 of the interior body insulation of the socket cooperate, in the present'instance, to form a closed or insulatlngly closed chamber 5 in which the switch mechanism is located. The insulating cap 2 and the shell cap 4 have centrally disposed registering openings 6 through which terminal wires 7 may be introduced into said chamber. The cap 2, in the present instance, is provided on its inner side or interiorly of the chamber 5 with a pair of binding screws 8, which serve to bind the terminal wires 7 to respective contact plates 9 and 10 carried by the insulating cap on the inner side thereof. These contact plates, in the present instance, have fingers 11 and 12, respectively, projecting therefrom into the chamber 5 lengthwise of the socket, and these fingers, when the insulating parts 1 and 2 are in assembled position, have contact with respective contact fingers 13 and 14:, which rise within the chamber 5.

The contact 14, in the present instance, projects from, or has electrical connection with, the inner end of the customary screw shell 15, which is secured to the outer end of the insulating part 1 and forms a side contact for the lamp, connecting plug, or other attachment, inserted into the socket, as is well understood in the art. The screw shell 15 is insulatingly spaced from the outer end of the shell part 3 by an insulating sleeve 16. The other contact 13 of the set, which is carried by the insulating part 1, is intended to have connection with the usual center con tact 17 of the socket through the bridging member of the switch mechanism which forms the present invention. When the bridging member is in circuit closing position it makes contact with the spaced contact parts 13 and 17*, each of which is in permanent connection with the respective parts 13 and 17, as is well understood in the art.

18 designates the bridging member of the switch, which is carried for rocking movements within the chamber 5 by a-chair or bracket 19 secured to the bottom wall of said chamber. The bridging member 18, in the present instance, comprises the two side bars 20, 20, which are connected together at or ad jaccnt to the inner or pivotal end thereof by a cross-piece 21, and are connected ad jacent to their opposite or free ends by a cross-piece 22. At least one of the cross-bars 21, 22 forms an electrical connection between the side bars of the bridging member. The cross-piece 21 has a central opening 23 therethrough and the cross-piece 22 has a stud 24 projecting inward therefrom or toward the cross-piece 21. Trunnions 25 project from the opposite sides of the bridging member at the inner end thereof and are mounted in registering side portions of the chair or bracket 19. The rocking movements of the bridging member are limited, in the present instance, by the provision of rearwardly turned lips 26 on the upper and lower edges of the cross-piece 21, which lips react with an upstanding part 19 at the rear end of the bracket 19. When the bridging member 18 is in one position of its rocking movement, the lower position in the present instance, the free ends of the side bars 20 coact with the contacts 13 and 17 and bridge the circuit across the same.

The stem or shaft 27 of a control key is connected through a side wall of the chamber 5 and through the end standards 19 and 19 of the bracket 19, having bearings therein. The key shaft 27 also extends through the opening 23 in the rear end piece 21 of the bridging member and terminates at its forward end short of the cross-piece 22, which is disposed in front or at the outer side of the end standard 19 of the bracket 19. A sleeve 28 is mounted on the key shaft 27 in advance of the cross-piece 21 of the bridging member and has its outer end projecting through the bearing opening in the bracket standard 19 for free rotary and axial reciprocatory movements therein.

A pin 29 projects transversely from the shaft 27 into a longitudinally extending slot 30 in the sleeve 28 and causes the sleeve to have turning movements with the key shaft. This pin and slot connection also permits the sleeve to have axial reciprocatory movemeiits relative to the shaft.

The inner or rear end of the sleeve 28 is provided with an outwardly and rearwardly projecting tongue 31, which is caused to yieldingly bear against the inner side of the bridging member end or cross-piece 21 by the action of a coiled compression spring 32, which encircles the sleeve and has its forward end thrust against the bracket standard 19 and its rear end thrust against the tongue 31 and a flanged or shouldered portion at the rear end of the sleeve.

Upon a turning of the key and sleeve 28, with the tongue 31 of the latter in contact with the inclined inner side of the crosspiece 21, the sleeve is caused to move outward or forward relative to the key shaft and against the tension of the spring 32 to place the outer end thereof in the path of movement of the stud 24 of the forward cross-piece 22 of the bridging member, as shown in Fig. 6, thereby preventing a shifting of the bridging member from one to the other of its two positions until a diametrically disposed cross-notch 33 in the sleeve end'turns into register with the stud. When the bridging member .is released for movement, by reason of an end of the sleeve notch 33 moving into register therewith, the tongue 31 will have turned past the rocking axis of the bridging member in contact with the cross-piece 21 .and will exert a rearward pressure against the forwardly tilted edge portion of said cross-piece and effect a quick snap movement of the bridging member to the-other limit of its rocking movement.

It is evident that the forward axial movement of the sleeve 28 at each half turn of the key not'only causes the sleeve to move into locking relation with the stud 24 of the bridging member, but also compresses the spring 32 to increase the tension thereof. This construction of switch is found in practice to be simple and inexpensive to manufacture, durable and compact in its construction, and easy, simple and eiiicient in its operation, thereby materially enhancing the practicability of switches of this character.

I wish it understood that my invention is not limited to any specific construction or arrangement of the parts or to use in any particular type of socket or other device, as it is capable of numerous modifications and uses without departing from the spirit'of the invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a switch of the class described, a bridging element mounted for rocking movements and having a thrust part and a stud spaced transversely of its rocking axis, a rotatable control member, and means carried by said control member for rotary movements therewith and yielding axial movements relative thereto, said means being disposed between the thrust part and stud of the bridging element and coacting with the stud to prevent a rocking of said element until the control member has been turned a predetermined extent and coacting with the thrust part to impart a quick shifting movement to the bridging element when released for rocking movement by said means.

2. In a switch of the class described, a

said means coacting with said stud and thrust part and periodically operable in cooperation therewith to lock, release and impart a quick shifting movement to the bridging element at predetermined points in arotation of the key. I

3. In a switch'of the class described, a bridging element mounted for rocking movements and having inner and outerparts spaced lengthwise thereof, a key mounted for rotary movements and projected through said inner part lengthwise of the bridging element, and means carried by said key for rotary movements therewith and axial movements relative thereto and yieldingly bearing against said inner part and actuated by said inner part upon a predetermined turning of the key to move outward relative to -the key into engagement with said outer part. to prevent a rocking of the bridging element until the key has been rotated a predetermined extent, and then releasing said outer part and imparting a quick rocking movement to said-element.-

4. In 'a switch of the class described, a bridging element mounted for rocking movements and having a stud and a thrust part spaced transversely of its rocking axis, a rotatable key projected through said thrust part lengthwise of thebridging element, a sleeve carried by said key between' the stud and thrust part of said element and rotatable with said key and axially movable relative thereto, means acting on said sleeve to yieldingly retain one end thereof in thrust contact with said thrust part, said sleeve, upon a turning thereof with the key, being actuated by said thrust part to move lengthwise of the key and to place the opposite end thereof in engagement with said stud to prevent a rocking of the bridging element until the sleeve has turned a predetermined extent, the sleeve urged by said yielding means then acting on the thrust part toefi'ect a quick shifting movement of the bridging. element. J

5. In a switch of the class described, a bridging element moiinted for rocking movements, a rotatable key, and means carried by said key for rotation therewith and axial shiftingv movements relative thereto and operable by a predetermined turning of the key to move relative to the key into element locking position to prevent a shifting thereof, then to release said element and impart quick shifting movement thereto.

6. In a switch of the class described, a bridging element mounted for rocking movements, a rotatable key, and means carried by said key for rotary movements therewith and axial movements relative thereto to periodically lock,release and impart a quick shifting movement to the bridging element ments, a rotatable key disposed lengthwise of said element, means carried by said key for rotary movements therewith and axial movements relative thereto, a spring urging a movement of sald means in one dlI'QCtlOIl axially of said key, said means being operable, in coaction with said element upon a predetermined rotation of the key, to first lock the element against a shifting movement and to then release it and impart a quick shifting movement thereto.

8. In a switch of the class described, a bridging element mounted for rocking movements and having a stud, a rotatable key, a member rotatable with said. key and axially movable relative thereto, a spring yieldingly urging a movement of said member in one direction lengthwise of the key, said member having a predetermined axial movement imparted thereto by said element against the action of said'spring when the key is turned a predetermined extentand when so moved having apart thereof engaged with said element stud to prevent rocking movements of said element, the engagement ofsaid member and element stud being released when the key has been turned a predetermined extent and the spring and member then acting on the bridging element to impart'a quick shifting movementthereto.

9. In a switch of the class described, a

bridging element mounted for rocking- V movements and having a thrust part ad acent to its fulcrum end and a stud spaced from said part longitudinally thereof, a rotatable key disposed lengthwiseof said element, a member carried by said key for rotation therewith and axial movements relative thereto, said member having a tongue projecting from one end thereof in contact with said thrust part and having its opposite end diametrically notched, and a spring urging the tongue end of said member against said thrust part, said thrust mart, upon a rotation of the key, coacting with said tongue to-cause an axial movement of said member to place its notched end in the path of, movement of said stud and to store energy in saidspring, the element being released for rocking movement when the key has been turned a predetermined extent to place said notch and said stud in register, and the member and spring then acting on said thrustpart to impart a quick shifting movement to the bridging element.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto signed my name. to this specification.

. i DAVID D. GORDON. 

